Cover-closure for containers with a relatively large opening

ABSTRACT

A cover-closure for containers having a relatively large opening, in particular for barrels, cans or the like, produced of synthetic material, which comprises a container having on the outside at its edge an annular rim formed of the container wall and radially projecting locking cams. A cover has an edge disposed downwardly angularly and outwardly surrounding the annular rim in the securing position. The segment is divided at least partly into segments equipped with projections extending outwardly from the lower end section, by means of vertical cutouts. The segments, in case the cover is mounted, is capable of being tensioned against the container edge below the annular rim with a tensioning ring disposed on the outside about the segments and capable of being locked below the locking cams. The container has at least three of the locking cams formed of the annular rim and is along the periphery symmetrically disposed and formed of the annular rim. In the container-wall sections are disposed between the locking cams below the locking cams at least one deepening provided adjusted as to shape to the cover edge segments.

United States Patent Mrusek et a1.

COVER-CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS WITH A RELATIVELY LARGE OPENING Inventors:Wilfried Mrusek, Bellheim; Horst Rosewicz, Ludwigshafen, Rhine, both ofGermany Elbatainer Kunststotfund Uerpackungs-Gesellschaft mbH. & CO.,Ettlingen, Germany 7 Filed: Jan. 28, 1972 Appl. No.: 221,635

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 29, 1971 Germany 2104193References Cited- UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1970 Hammes 220/55 AN 11/1957Podesta 215/96 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall [5 7 ABSTRACT Acover-closure for containers having a relatively large opening, inparticular for barrels, cans or the like, produced of syntheticmaterial, which comprises a container having on the outside at its edgean annular rim formed of the container wall and radially projectinglocking cams. A cover has an edge disposed downwardly angularly andoutwardly surrounding the annular rim in the securing position. Thesegment is divided at least partly into segments equipped withprojections extending outwardly from the lower end section, by means ofvertical cutouts. The segments, in case the cover is mounted, is capableof being tensioned against thecontainer edge below the annular rim witha tensioning ring disposed on the outside about the segments and capableof being locked below the locking cams. The container has at least threeof the locking cams formed of the annular rim and is along the peripherysymmetrically disposed and formed of the annular rim. In thecontainer-wall sections are disposed between the locking cams below thelocking cams at least one deepening provided adjusted as to shape to thecover edge segments.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB I 91974 SHEET 1 OF 4COVER-CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS WITH A RELATIVELY LARGE OPENING The presentinvention relates to a cover-closure for containers with a relativelylarge opening, particularly for barrels, canisters or the like producedof synthetic material, whereby the container has an annular rim which isformed out of the container wall as well as radially projecting lockingor latching cams, while the cover has an edge, which is angularlydisposed downwardly and which, in its secured position, surrounds theannular rim, and which is divided through vertical cutouts into aplurality of segments equipped with projections extending outwardly, atleast partly, from the lower end section, which segments, in case of themounted cover, are tensionable below the annular rim with a tensionring, disposed on the outside about the segments against the containeredge and lockable below the locking cams.

In a device for containers having a large opening, thus so-calledwide-mouthed barrels, a considerable falling resistance is requiredsince the stresses occurring during a fall can easily press open thecoverclosure and cause resulting damages, due to deformation of thecontainer and the sudden excess pressure in its interior. This appliesin particular, where the containers and covers are made of syntheticmaterial.

Cover-closures for containers of the above described type are alreadyknown. Thus, for example, known synthetic barrels have an annular rim onthe outside of their edge, and the covers have an outer edge which isdivided into segments by means of vertical cuts and which outer edge insecuring position of the cover surrounds the annular rim on the outside.A tensioning ring is placed on the outside, around the edge of the coversecured in its position by projections, with which tensioning ring thecover edge segments are tensionable below the annular rim against thecover edge. However, these known cover-closures do not offersufficiently safeguard for a firm seat of the cover, since in case of adeformation of the barrel within the range of the cover-closure, oftenthe cover edge can slip away across the annular rim of the barrel,starting from the deformed place.

It is also known, to provide at the opening edge of barrels on theoutside with a prefabricated reinforcement ring, whose upper edge hasradially outwardly extending abutment segments for the tensioning ring.The outer edge of the cover has appropriate recesses and at its loweredge also radially outwardly extending segments. After the cover isplaced upon the barrel mouth,

the segments are positioned at a predetermined distance and set off toeach other such, that the tensioning ring can be inserted there betweenand the cover is fixed by its tensioning. The sides of the segmentswhich face the tensioning ring have diagonally rising, respectivelyfalling faces, in order to pull the cover into a rigid and denseposition on the barrel mouth, during the tensioning of the tension ring.

This known cover closure has the drawbacks, that prior to the forming ofthe barrel, the reinforcement ring must be placed into the productionmold and must be well welded with the edge of the barrel, in order toobtain the falling rigidity, which method is cumbersome andtime-consuming in its manufacture and requires extensive and expensivemanufacturing devices, in order to obtain an economically feasibleproduction speed. Moreover, the ring parts must be prefabricated assprayed parts, which causes considerable, additional costs. This knownembodiment also has the additional disadvantage, that during thetensioning of the lid, the sealing pull load, as well as the constanttransport load, must be absorbed by the sections of the tensioning ringas well as by the locking abutment-segments, so that both these elementscannot be easily produced in the desired, cost-saving manner, out ofsynthetic material.

It is one object of the present invention, to provide for theafore-described type of containers, a particularly economical,produceable cover-closure, in which all the aforementioned disadvantagesare avoided and which, on the one hand, withstands the high fallingstresses and, on the other hand, affords a particularly easy handling,thus also an easy closing and opening of the container, as well as anadequate sealing safety.

It is another object of the present invention, to pro vide a containerwhich comprises at least three locking cams formed out of the annularrim and arranged symmetrically across the circumference, and that, atleast one depression whose shape is complementary to the cover-edgesegments, is arranged below the annular rim in the container wallsections which are situated between the locking cams.

This makes it possible to avoid all afore described shortcomings of theknown cover-closures. With the present invention a cover closure withsecuring elements interlocking nearly completely and which are obtainedin a simple manner by forming into or out of the container and coverwall, and which do not require any technical or apparatus expenditure,beyond the conventional forming of the containers and covers. The coverclosure, according to the present invention, meets all requirements forthe initially described conditions, with respect to falling andtransport reliability,

sealing safety, economy and easy handling. By the design and arrangementof the cover edge segments complementary to the form and reaching intothe container depressions, as well as of the locking cams horizontallyoverlapping the surrounding tensioning ring, provide jointly a multiplelocking and thereby an optimum locking safety for wide-mouth containers,produced of synthetic material is provided. Due to the design, inaccordance with the present invention, of the cover-edge segments andthe container depressions fitted thereto provide in case of the mountedcover an uninterruptedly smooth bearing surface stabilizing theperiphery of the container mouth, is formed.

An advantageous further development of the present invention forcover-closures with an inserted, elastic gasket is obtained, that thedepressions that are formed into the container edge have at least on theside which faces the gasket, a tension face which extends obliquelydownwardly from the outer edge and that the cover edge segments have, ontheir side which faces the container edge, fitted oblique faces, whichin case of the mounted cover bear upon the pulling faces of thecontainer depressions.

Thus, the sealing pulling load originating from the cover, duringtensioning of the tension ring has been distributed to the relativelylarge-faced cover edge segments, and the container-neck itself, withoutstressing the synthetic material of the securing elements, in a mannerwhich would impair the repeated securing of -.the cover.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in thefollowing detailed description, the present invention,'which is shown byexample only, will be clearly understood in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container with a mounted cover;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the container without cover, shown at alarger scale than in FIG. 1, and broken off below the edge zone;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the container with mounted cover, shown ata larger scale than in FIG. 1 and with the container broken off belowthe edge zone,

as well as broken open;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the container, according to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section along lines V V of FIG. 4, shown at an enlargedscale; and

FIG. 6 is a section along the lines VI VI of FIG. 4, shown at anenlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, acontainer 10 is disclosed which has a large opening which almostcorresponds with the diameter of the container and a fitting cover 11.The container 10, as well as the'cover l I, are made of syntheticmaterial. As appears in FIG. 2, the container 10 has on the outside, atits edge, an annular rim 12, which is formed out of the container walland which has a plurality of locking cams 13 projecting in radialdirection beyond its outer diameter, which locking cams 13 are formedout of the annular rim and are uniformly distributed across thecircumference of the annular rim, with respectively equal spacings. Onthe upper side facing the container edge, the faces of the locking camsrun over, in form of arches into the edge face of the annular rim, whileon the lower side, which is turned toward the container bottom, theearns 13 are flattened up at respectively the same height. In theoutside con tainer edge sections, which are disposed between the lockingcams 13, the container wall has a depression 14 directly below theannular rim. The cover has, in its position illustrated in the drawings,an edge, that is angularly disposed downwardly and which is dividedthrough symmetrically placed cutouts 15, into a plurality of segments 16of equal length, which are arranged over'the entire periphery, at equalspacing. The segments 16 are so fitted to the container edge, that theygrip upon mounting the cover the container on the outside aroundsections 12a of the annular rim 12, which are disposed between thelocking earns 13 upon applying of pressure against the container edge,enter into the depressions 14. The outer, vertical faces of thecover-edge segments 16 are then situated on the same level with theadjacent outer faces l0aof the container disposed below the locking cams13. A band-shaped tensioning ring 17 which is placed outside, around thecover-edge segments 16, holds the segments in this tensioned positionand lies thereby itself, with its upper margin immediately below thelocking cams 13. The tensioning ring 17 is retained at the cover-edgesegments in safe relation, by means of protrusions 18 and 19, whichproject above and below the tensioning ring 17, from the outside segmentfaces and surround the locking tensioned ring 17 at its edges.

The cutouts in the cover edge are dimensioned such that in case ofmounting the cover 11 upon the container 10, the locking cams 13protruding from the annular rim 12 of the container, extend freely,through the cutouts 15. As previously mentioned, the locking cams 13have at their lower side, thus the side facing the tensioning ring,horizontal locking faces 20, which, in case of tensional cover edgesegments 16, protrude sufficiently the tensioning ring 17, in order tosecure the cover in its affixed position, on the container 10.

In the cover, an elastic gasket 21 is inserted into an annular groove,which ring 21 bears on the upper margin of the containers neck uponmounting of the cover 11 on the container 10. The depressions 14, whichare arranged in the containers edge, below the annular rim 12 whichdefines the opening rim or edge, have a pulling face 22 which extendsobliquely downwardly from the outer edge and is situated on the sidefacing the gasket, while the cover edge segments 16 are provided ontheir side which faces the container edge, with fitted diagonal faces23, which bear upon the pull faces of the container-depressions in caseof the cover being mounted, at which time the lid-edge segments arepulled into the depressions, the oblique face 23 of the segments, slideaway obliquely downwardly, on the pulling faces 22 of the depressionswhich causes the cover to be pulled and retained in its fixed andsealing position on the container mounth. At the same time, the gasket21 which is situated between the cover and the container edge is pressedinto a shape which seals the container mouth.

The number of locking cams 13 and of cover-edge segments 16 can bedetermined as desired, depending upon the size of the container opening.However, at least three locking cams arranged at equal spacing from eachother, should be provided which, if the locking parts get deformed, willreliably prevent the sliding out of the locking ring and of the lid-edgesegments, from their effective locking position.

While we have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it isto be understood, that this embodiment is given by example only and notin a limiting sense. I

We claim:

1. A cover-closure for containers having a relatively large opening, inparticular for barrels, cans or the like, produced of syntheticmaterial, comprising a container having on the outside at its edge anannular rim formed of the container wall and radially projecting lockingcams,

a cover having an edge disposed downwardly angularly and outwardlysurrounding said annular rim in the securing position,

said cover edge being divided at least partly into segments equippedwith projections extending outwardly from the lower end section, bymeans of vertical cutouts,

said segments, in case said cover being mounted,

being capable of being tensioned against said container edge below saidannular rim with a tensioning ring disposed on the outside about saidsegments and capable of being locked below said locking cams,

said container having at least three of said locking cams formed of saidannular rim and disposed along the periphery symmetrically at the upperpart of vertical outer faces, and in containerwall sections disposedbetween said locking cams and said vertical outer faces below saidlocking cams at least one deepening being provided adjusted as to shapeto said cover edge segments complementarily.

2. The cover-closure, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said locking camsare flattened on the lower side pointing towards said tensioning ring,in case said cover being mounted, at equal height.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 792797 Dated I February 19 1974 Inventoflg) Wilfred Mrusek et a1 It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet the assignee 'fs names should read ElbatainerKunststoff-und Verpackungs-Gesel lschaft m.b.H. G Co., Ettlingen,Germany and Badische Anilin- Soda-Fabrik A.G. Ludi vigsha fen, Germany.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1974.,

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. Attesting Officer c; MARSHALL DANN. Commissioner ofPatents USCOMM-DC 6O376-P6 9 ORM PO-1050 (10-69) UrS. GOVERNMENTPiZINTING OFFICE: 9, 930

1. A cover-closure for containers having a relatively large opening, inparticular for barrels, cans or the like, produced of syntheticmaterial, comprising a container having on the outside at its edge anannular rim formed of the container wall and radially projecting lockingcams, a cover having an edge disposed downwardly angularly and outwardlysurrounding said annular rim in the securing position, said cover edgebeing divided at least partly into segments equipped with projectionsextending outwardly from the lower end section, by means of verticalcutouts, said segments, in case said cover being mounted, being capableof being tensioned against said container edge below said annular rimwith a tensioning ring disposed on the outside about said segments andcapable of being locked below said locking cams, said container havingat least three of said locking cams formed of said annular rim anddisposed along the periphery symmetrically at the upper part of verticalouter faces, and in containerwall sections disposed between said lockingcams and said vertical outer faces below said locking cams at least onedeepening being provided adjusted as to shape to said cover edgesegments complementarily.
 2. The cover-closure, as set forth in claim 1,wherein said locking cams are flattened on the lower side pointingtowards said tensioning ring, in case said cover being mounted, at equalheight.